Container and blank therefor



Dec. 28, 1948. J. G. BELL 2,457,198

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n G Edd.

Patented Dec. 28, 1948 CONTAINER AND BLANK THEREFOR John G. Bell, Chicago, 11]., assignor to Morbell Products Corporation, a corporation of Delaware Application October 22, 1945, Serial No. 623,738

8 Claims. 1

This invention relates to a new and improved container and blank therefore, and more particularly to a container formed of flexible sheet material such as cardboard or the like.

The invention relates particularly to a double walled container having a cylindrical wall, but it will be understood that the container may be made in other shapes. Containers of this character are used for handling various types of food products, and the material forming the walls of the container may be pregnated or coated with material such as waxes or resins which render the walls impervious to moisture. The containers are adapted for use in the packing of bulk ice cream, especially in the larger forms, in sizes such as 2 or 5 gallons. Such containers are required to be sanitary and sufliciently rigid to prevent distortion when being handled. They also must be relatively inexpensive since they are discarded after a single use. Certain types of containers hav heretofore been used for such purposes, but in general they have required metallic reinforcements which adds to the expense. The construction of the present invention is adequately strong and rigid without metallic reinforcements, although it may be so reinforced where extra strength is required.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a new and improved container and blank for making the same.

It is a further object to provide a container of this character which is relatively inexpensive and may be formed of lightweight material while having adequate strength and rigidity.

It is also an object to provide a container with I double walls and air spaces therebetween so as to provide insulation for the contents.

An additional object is to provide a container which can be set up with a minimum of labor and apparatus. It is a further object to provide a container which is relatively inexpensive and which is adapted for commercial production and use.

Other and further objects will appear as the description proceeds.

I have shown certain preferred embodiments in my invention in the accompanying drawing in which Figure 1 is a plan view on a reduced scale of a blank for forming the sidewalls of the container.

Figure 2 is a vertical elevation of the container and of its top closure separate therefrom.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary sectional view showing one form of the container and closure.

Figure 4 is a view similar to Figure 3, showing a modified form of construction.

Figure 5 is a fragmentary view showing a modifled form of top closure, and

Figure 6 is a transverse section on a reduced scale taken on line 8-6 of Figure 2.

The container sidewall is formed of a continuous blank shown in plan view in Figure 1. This blank I I has a length twice the circumference of the desired finished container and a width sumciently greater than the desired height of the container to provide material to be turned over for forming the top and bottom beaded or rolled edges of the container. The right half I! of the blank, which serves to form the inner surface of the container, is somewhat wider than the left half l3 of the blank, which serves to form the outer wall of the container, the difference in widths being merged gradually by a sloping edge portion ii.

The right lower corner l5 of the portion l2 and the left upper corner l6 of the portion 13 are cut away slightly on an angle as shown so as to facilitate the wrapping and the setting up of the blank. These cutaway portions prevent the corners from being bent and distorted during the setting up operation in such a manner as to render the turned over edge beads non-uniform.

-The outer end I! of the outer portion I3 of the blank is provided with a pair of holding tabs l8 adapted to be inserted through slots I9 located in a vertical line intermediate the two blank sections. The portion l3 of the blank is provided with a plurality of vertically extending crimped portions 20, the crimps extending inwardly from the finished outer surface of the container to engage the outer face of the inner wall of the container and thus space the major portion of the outer wall from the inner wall to provide an insulating airspace. These crimps or corrugations also serve to stiffen the structure.

While the tabs l8 and the slits l9 form a convenient means for securing the outer end of the side wall in place, they may be omitted if desired, and the outer edge cemented or glued in place. It is apparent that, due to the complete inner layer of the container, the glue or cement will not come in contact with its contents.

After the cylindrical side walls are assembled by rolling the blank to double thickness and securing it by inserting the tabs l8 into slots I 9, the top and bottom edges of the formed cylinder are rolled to provide the strengthening edge beads as shown in Figure 3. The top bead 2| is formed by rolling outwardly and downwardly both the inner and outer layers. Then the inner layer I! has its extreme edge rolled inwardly as shown at 22 to cover the lower edge of the outer member It as clearly shown in Figure 3. This overlap and covering 22 is permitted by the additional width of the inner layer portion l2 of the blank. This overlap has; several functions in that it provides a smoother working bead and also prevents any tendency of the-inner and outer layers to separate or slide upon each other in handling the containers.

In order to stiifen the structure, a metal hoop 23 may be slid between the outturned portion of the beadand the border of the container as shown in Figure 4. This hoop may be provided with an outer flange 24 of approximately the thickness of the outer portion of the bead as shown in the drawing. The inturned lower portion 22 of the bead also has the advantage of permitting this metal hoop to be slipped into the proper position without damage to the outer bead or tendency to slip between the two bead layers.

The bottom of the, container may be formed as shown in Figure 3 with a cup-shaped bottom member 26 having a downturned flange 26 held be tween the inner wall 12 and the upturned bead portion 21. Another form of bottom construction is shown in Figure 4. The-metal hoop 28 having the inturned flange 29, is shown as slipped into the bead and serves as a seat to hold the bottom closure disc 30. Where a less rigid container is required, this metal ring or hoop 28 may be omitted. Since this disc 30 is held in place merely by friction and the weight of the material in the container, it is necessary that it be made of stiff material and of a thickness such as to be substantially rigid. On the other hand, the bottom 25 of the form of constructionshown in Figure 3 may be formed of relatively light material since its downturned edge 26 acts as a support and is held firm in the rolled back bead.

The top closure may take several forms and two methods of applying ithave been shown in Figures 3 and 5. .In Figure 3, a top closure disc ll rests'on the top bead of the container. It is held in place by hoop 32 formed of the same material as the container and having a reversely bent beaded edge 33. It will be understood that the closure disc 3| is normally inserted in the hoop l2 into which it frictionally fitsand the disc bead 2,! as shown in Figure 5. The closure disc 3! is applied after the container has been filled with ice cream and engages the top of the filling and adheres thereto. Since the container is normally handled while completely filled and with the contents in a frozen condition, the cover II will not fall oil. After the container is placed in the They also provide a substantial amount of insulation in the double, cylindrical walls. They are adapted for assembly from the blank with a minimum amount of labor and assembling apparatus. They are therefore especially adapted for uses such as have been described for handling ice cream in bulk, after which they may be discarded. It will be apparent, however, that while this use has been specifically described, they are also suitable for containing many other types of dairy products or products of other character. The 'crimps of the outer layer of the wall of the container strengthen the container, and are desirable in a container which may be used for many purposes where refrigeration or insulation is not necessary.

The container may be shipped and stored with all parts inthe fiat to save space or may be partially assembled. The side wall blank may be receptacle from which its contents is dispensed,

the cover 3] may be readily removed simply by knocking down the hoop 32 a distance sufiiciently to clear the edge of closure 3| so that it can be liftedror pried ofl.

It will be apparent that the containers disclosed herein are of considerable. strength and are quite rigid while being made of relatively light material.

folded over on itself with the free edgesecured by the tabs i8 or by gluing or cementing and the beads on the edges may or may not be preformed as desired. The stiff bottom and cover discs will as frictionally fitted in place, it will be understood that where an absolutely liquid tight container is desired, they may be glued or cemented in place with adhesives suitable for the purpose which will not be injured by the contents and will not contaminate it. Similarly the cover hoop 32 may be shipped as a fiat strip or preformed depending on the facilities for assembling and beading the edges which may be available at the pointof setting up the containers for use.

An important feature of my improved container is the fact that the containersafter assembly may be stacked during storage or shipment. As clearly shown in Figure 3, since the bottom edge of the container is rolled inwardly of the wall, the bottom is of such size that it nests inside the cover bead when one container is placed upon another. This nesting feature is of great advantage in handling the container both when empty and when filled.

While I have shown certain preferred embodimnts of my invention, theseare to be understood and I contemplate such modifications as come within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

I claim: a

1. A container having a top and bottom and lateral walls, the lateral walls comprising a single continuous strip of material forming an inner and an outer layer, the outer layer having crimped portions intermediate its lateral edges engaging the inner layer and spacing the major portion of the outer layer therefrom, the lateral edges constituting continuous flat portions directly contacting-the inner layer.

A container having a top and bottom and lateral walls, the lateral walls comprising a single continuous strip of material forming inner and outer layers, the part of the strip forming one of the layers having crimped portions intermediate its lateral edges engaging the other layer and spacing the major portion of the two layers apart, the lateral edges of the first layer constituting continuous flat portions directly contacting the other layer.

3. A container having a top and bottom and lateral walls, the lateral walls comprising a continuous strip of material wrapped upon itscli and of such length as to provide a wall of doube thickness, the upper edges of the two layers being rolled outwardly and downwardly to form a stif- Iening ring about the top of the container, the

' around and below the adjacent edge of the outer layer in said stiffening ring.

4. A blank for forming a double container wall, said blank comprising a continuous strip having a length substantially twice the circumference of the container, that portion of the blank serving as the inner wall being wider than that forming the outer container wall and having its upper edge offset outwardly by an amount such that when folded jointly outwardly and downwardly to form a stifiening flange, the inner wall portion encloses the downturned outer wall portion.

5. A blank for forming a double container wall, said blank comprising a single continuous strip having a length substantially twice the circumference of the container, that portion of the blank serving as the outer wall having spaced crimped portions intermediate its lateral edges adapted to engage the inner wall portion to space the walls apart, and having lateral edges constituting continuous flat portions adapted to directly contact the lateral edge portions of that' portion of the blank serving as the inner wall.

6. A blank for forming a double container wall, said blank comprising a continuous strip having a length substantially twice the circumference of the container, that portion of the blank serving as the outer wall having spaced transverse I crimped portions adapted to engage the inner wall portions to space the walls apart and thatportion oi the blank serving as the inner wall being wider than that forming the outer container wall and having its upper edge offset outwards by an amount such that when folded jointly outwardly and downwardly to form a stiffening flange, the inner wall portion encloses the downturned outer wall portion.

7. A container having a top and bottom and lateral walls, the lateral wallscomprising a continuous strip of material wrapped upon itself and of such length as to provide a wall of double thickness, the upper edges of the two layers being rolled outwardly and downwardly to form a stiffening ring about the top of the container, the inner layer being wider than the outer layer, with its upper edge extending around and below the adjacent edge of the outer layer in said stiffening ring, and a metallic stifiening ring slipped between the outer wall of the container and the downturned portion of its upper edge.

8. A blank for forming a double lateral container wall having a double rolled beaded edge, said blank comprising a continuous strip having a length substantially twice the circumference of the container, the blank adjacent that portion thereof which forms the outer layer of the beaded edge being wider than that adjacent the portion forming the inner layer and having its upper edge offset laterally, and the margins of the portions of said blank forming the inner layer of said beaded edge being inclined adjacent the inner end thereof.

JOHN G. BELL.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

STATES PA'I'ENTS Number Name Date 1,067,237 Brandt July 15, 1913 1,106,005 Snevlin Aug. 4, 1914 1,158,581 Swift, Jr. Nov. 2, 1915 1,731,916 Wright et a1 Oct. 15, 1929 1,787,332 Wright Dec. 30, 1930 1,985,998 Koch et a1 Jan. 1, 1935 2,014,901 Leopold et a1. Sept. 17, 1935 2,022,601 McDonald Nov. 26, 1935 2,347,286 Barbieri Apr. 25, 1944 2,383,760 Barbieri Aug. 28, 1945 

